Method for treating herpes and chronic inflammatory intestinal tract disease

ABSTRACT

This application relates to a composition and method for treating herpes and chronic inflammatory intestinal tract diseases. According to the invention, herpes, Morbus Crohn and Colitis ulcerosa are treated with a medication prepared from the juice or watery extract of meat-eating plants, preferably the Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula).

This is a division of application, Ser. No. 892,226 filed July 31, 1986.

This application relates to a composition and method for treating herpesand chronic inflammatory intestinal tract diseases. According to theinvention, herpes, Morbus Crohn and Colitis ulcerosa are treated with amedication prepared from the juice or aqueous extract of meat-eatingplants, preferably the Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As disclosed in European Application No. 19,808 (corresponding toapplication number 80 102 707) the juices or extracts of certaincarnivorous plants are suitable for the treatment of cancer. Juiceextracts from parts of the Venus Fly Trap (Dionaea muscipula) have beenfound to be particularly efficacious. These extracts contain, amongother things, specific proteolytic ferments which can be taken orally,or by injection after filtration and dilution with cooling saltsolutions.

As disclosed in EHK Acta medica empirica, Bd. 34, 416-420 (1985),therapeutic effects are attributed to specific endonucleases found inthe juice extract from carnivorous plants. The endonucleases provide fora partial inhibition of cell division of tumor cells, which in manycases promotes remission, and sometimes disappearance, of the tumor.Even patients with metasthesis have been successfully treated with acommercial composition designated as CARNIVORA™ which is marketed byCarnivora, GmbH, Jagsthausen. The Carnivora composition consists of adiluted juice extract or the lyophilized solids of the extracted juiceof fresh plant parts of Dionaea muscipula. The composition is takenorally, by intramuscular injection after dilution of the lyophilizedpowder in water, or by inhalation of an aerosol spray after dilution inwater.

Herpes is characterized by small blisters which suddenly appear, usuallyin the transient region between the epidermis and the mucosa, for theexample in the region of the nose or the lips, or the genitalia or theanus. Herpes can also appear in other regions of the body and can appearas herpes Zoster in connection with a neuralgic rash. Herpes frequentlyappears as a result of external pressure on the organism, such asdisease accompanied by fever, strong facial sunburn or exposure to thesun, etc. The herpes blisters can become sores which cause pain andswelling and which heal with difficulty.

Known herpes treatments, such as those relying on tinctures or zincointments, or on oral administration of vitamin B, frequently do notlead to symptomatic relief or the desired cure.

Granulatomous-inflammatory diseases of the ileum and colon, known asregional enteritis or Morbus Crohn, is a frequently encounteredcondition. Symptoms include chronic diarrhea and abdominal pains. Thetherapy available for this disease is frequently symptomatic, and isaimed at reducing diarrhea and abdominal pain. Antibacterial medicationshave been used to treat bacterial complications, but have not achieved acure. Corticos steroids are useful, but frequently a surgical oroperative intervention is needed, such as a resection of the diseasedintestinal portion. This is also true of Colitis ulcerosa. In difficultcases, a total proctocolectomy or iletostomy, respectively, is required.Unexpectedly, it lately has been discovered that the juice or aqueousextract of carnivorous plants is effective for the treatment of herpesinfections by oral administration or local application, and for thetreatment of chronic inflammations of the intestinal tract (Morbus Crohnand Colitis ulcerosa)--even though these diseases are entirely differentfrom the sarcoma and carcinoma diseases heretofore treated with theknown extract, and even though the treatment according to the inventiondiffers from known medications and procedures for the treatment ofherpes and Crohn's disease.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, herpes, Morbus Crohn and Colitis ulcerosaare treated with a medication prepared from the juice or aqueous extractof meat-eating plants, preferably the Venus Fly Trap (Dionaeamuscipula).

For herpes, the preparation is applied locally in liquid form, as acompress, poultice, or directly, with or without dilution in water oralcohol. A significant improvement and reduction in inflammation appearswithin a few days, followed by a prompt healing. It appears that, due tothe constituents of the juice extract of carnivorous plants, thediseased cell structure of the epidermis is decomposed and resolved, sothat a new and healthy epidermis can form. However, even when takenorally, the extract effects a significant improvement, and provides forhealing of the diseased skin region over time.

In order to obtain a preparation of longer duration, the juice ofcarnivorous plants extracted by a juicer can be lyophilized in aconventional fashion. For use, the lyophilized extract is dissolved inwater or a thinned cooking salt solution for oral administration in softor hard conventional gelatin capsules or local application.

For Morbus Crohn and Colitis ulcerosa, the extract may be appliedorally, with or without dilution in water or in a cooking salt solution.The extract is obtained by compressing the carnivorous plant, preferablythe leaves, for example in a juicer. Aqueous extracts from other partsof the plants may also be used. The extract can also be applied in theform of an injection, prepared from juice which has been filtered anddiluted, lyophilized, and then dissolved in water prior to injection.The entire Venus Fly Trap, and preferably the leaves thereof, has beenfound to be particularly suitable according to the invention.

The invention is further described with reference to a number ofexamples. It will be understood by skilled practitioners that theseexamples are illustrative, and do not serve to limit the scope of theinvention or the appended claims.

EXAMPLE 1

To product a locally applicable medication for the treatment of herpessimplex, freshly harvested plant parts of Dionaea muscipula are juicedin a conventional fashion, and the resulting juice extract is filtered.The extract can be directly applied to the diseased skin region, or canbe applied in the form of a compress or poultice impregnated with theextract or with all indications the average dose is 3×50 drops amountingto 2 to 4 ml per day. The extract can be combined with one or moreconventional excipients, such as alcohol, in order to stabilize themedication.

EXAMPLE 2

An oral medication for herpes can be prepared by diluting an extractobtained and filtered according to Example 1 with alcohol-containingwater or a cooking salt solution in a proportion of 1:3. This dilutedsolution may be administered several times a day in a dosage of about 2ml (50 drops).

EXAMPLE 3

To produce a medication for treatment of Morbus Crohn by injection,freshly harvested plant parts of Dionaea muscipula are juiced in aconventional fashion, and the resulting juice extract is filtered. Thefiltrate, about 200 ml, is lyophilized to form about 4.2 g oflyophilized product. For individual injection, the lyophilized productis stored in ampules, each containing 41.5 mg. For injection, thelyophilized product in the ampule is diluted in water and is injectedintramuscularly at a dosage corresponding to about 2 ml of extractedjuice.

EXAMPLE 4

An oral medication for treatment of Morbus Crohn can be prepared bydiluting an extract obtained and filtered according to Example 3 withhydrous alcohol or a cooking salt solution in a proportion of 1:3. Thisdiluted solution may be administered several times a day in a dosage ofabout 2 ml (50 drops).

We claim:
 1. A method for treating chronic inflammatory intestinal tractdiseases comprising the administration to a host afflicted by same juiceor the aqueous solution of juice extracted from Dionaea muscipula. 2.The method according to claim 1, wherein the juice extract has beenfiltered and diluted in alcohol containing water or a cooking saltsolution in a proportion of 1:3 and the thus diluted juice is orallyadministered in a dosage of about 50 drops of said solution severaltimes a day.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the juiceextract has been filtered to obtain about 200 ml of extract, and said200 ml has been lyophilized to obtain about 4.2 g of lyophilizedproduct, and said lyophilized product is injected intramuscularly indoses of about 2 ml.
 4. A method for treating chronic inflammatoryintestinal tract diseases comprising the administration to a hostafflicted by same, juice extracted from the carnivorous plant Dionaeamuscipula, wherein the juice has been filtered and diluted in a solventselected from the group consisting of hydrous alcohol and a cooking saltsolution in a proportion of 1:3, and the thus diluted juice isadministered orally in 2 ml doses.
 5. A method according to claim 4,wherein prior to administration the juice is lyophilized afterextraction, and the lyophilized produce is diluted in solvent selectedfrom the group consisting of hydrous alcohol and a cooking saltsolution.